Ship hull construction



C. T. SAMUELSON SHIP HULL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 3, 1935 INVE TOR: y 2 7 I I! MATTORNEY.

Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

This invention relates to the construction of the bulls of ships and other vessels and has for its particular objects the provision of a simple and cheap hull constructionwhich possesses re-,

markable longitudinal strength as compared with the conventional type of hull construction. Further objects of the invention are hereinafter described.

Heretofore, as I am well aware, it has been proposed, as described in Patent No. 1,467,426, to

employ channel iron members, the flanges of which were rivetedtogether and extended through slots formed in the transverse web or thwartship members in lieu of the usual longi- 5 tudinal frame members and shell plating, such channel members being of about the width of the ordinary longitudinal frame spacing. This type of construction, ,while tending to increase the longitudinal stability of a hull, nevertheless provided a construction which wasfar more susceptible to leakage owing to the greatly increased number of longitudinal seams as compared with the ordinary hull construction, because of the fact that the plating orstrakes can be obtained in much larger widths than that of the standard channel irons. Also in the so-called Isherwood type of construction, as described in Patent No. 1,622,830, it has been proposed to eliminate the brackets which ordinarily serve .to connect the .longitudinal and horizontal frames to the plating and to substitute a special form of stiflening member therefor, in order to minimize the likelihood of leaks occurring under the severe strains,

resulting from heavy seas, at the joints between such brackets and the plating. In such constructions, however, the longitudinal frames,

the thwartship bulkheads so that they extend along and contact with the inner face of the shell or hull plating and the joints between two abutting elements of these longitudinals are disposed in staggered relation in the manner hereinafter described, then the problem heretofore encountered by ship builders respecting longitudinal instability or weakness can be effectively solved 'ship bulkheads and it the so-called transverse without otherwise sacrificing any of the advantages resulting from present ship design and hull construction practice. Other advantages are hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing in which I have t illustrated a preferred embodiment of my mvention, as applied to a ship's hull construction,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a so-called tanker constructed in accordance with my invention;

fFig. 2 is a diagrammatic semi-plan view there- 10 0 Fig. 3 is a fentary skeietonized pe tive view of the hull of such tanker;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic vertical section of the w tanker shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective, partially in section, showing one type of beam. element of a longitudinal and an adjacent portion of a. thwartship bulkhead;

Figs. ,6 and 7; Figs. 8 a a and Figs. ill and n it are fragmentary vertical sections associated with fragmentary elevations showing diflerent forms of longitudinals and the co-operating portions of adjacent thwartshlp bulkheads.

Referring to the drawing and the construction therein illustrated, ll designates the hull of such tanker, ii the strakes or sheets of the plating or so-called skin thereof, it thecustomary thwartwebs. s W The reference letters a, h, c, d, e, .1, 9, 7', I,

n, p, r and 13 respectively designate joints between the abutting elements of the several diderent rows of longitudinals on the two sides and deck of. the abbreviated hull section shown in Fig. 3. The W line to designates a zigzag path that can be generated through the joints a, b, c, and so on, of the successive rows of longitudinals, the same extending upwardly from the bottom row thereof and progressively advancing longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the side of the hull along which said lpngitudinals extend, whereas the lines a: and y designate parallel paths respectively generated through'the joints (1., c, e, w, p i, z, n, p, r, and r and joints b, d, 1, hand is of alternate rows of longitudinalsthat extend along the different walls of the hull as shown, and which paths also extend generally diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe wall of the hull along which the longitudinals, in which such joints exist, extend. v

The joints designated as a' and c' designate certain of the next corresponding series of joints inthe various longitudinals corresponding to the aforesaid series a, b, c, d, e, .7, etc. u

In Fig. 5, the said plating or strake II is shown as being welded to a beam element l5, which latter penetrates through marginal slots l6 of similar configuration, formed in the bulkhead l2. The types of beam element shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 10 constitute modifications of the plain beam shown in Fig. 5, the same comprising either angle iron 20 or 25, such as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 or a. channel iron 30, the same being preferably welded to the plating, or if desired, being riveted or otherwise secured thereto and the respective cooperating slots 2|, 26 and 3|, formed in the mar gins of the bulkheads l2, being of an identical configuration therewith and adapted to snugly receive the same. The joints between the bulkheads and the elements of the various rows of longitudinals intersecting such bulkheads are welded so as to render the same water-tight.

Among the additional advantages of my new type of framing, is the fact that in building the hull, the length of the beam elements employed in constructing the hull longitudinals is not limited, as is now the case, to the spacing or distance between thwartship bulkheads, since such beam elements employed in my improved hull construction may. be extended not only through one, but through two or more bulkheads, if desired, and

- consequently beam elements of the maximum length obtainable can be satisfactorily employed, thereby not only simplifying the construction of the'vessel, but resulting in imparting a greater and more uniform strength to the completed hull, due primarily to the fact that the number 01 separate beam elements required for the completion of the hull, as well as the number of joints between abutting elements in the various rows oi! longitudinals, are reduced to a minimum and also are disposed in staggered relation with respect to each other in the manner herein explained.

While in the construction illustrated in the drawing, the joints between abutting elements in the longitudinals in adjacent rows thereof are so disposed that the same are staggered so no two of such joints will lie in the same transverse vertical plane, such joints may, without departing from the spirit of my invention, be so disposed that the joints between abutting elements in two adjacent rows or longitudinals may be in alignment with each other, either vertically, in the ease of the side longitudinals or horizontally, in the case of the deck and bottom longitudinals, and consequently lying in the same transverse vertical plane, and the joints between the abutting elements in the other longitudinals on the same side of the hull may be staggered with relation to the aforesaid elements and lie in different transverse vertical planes with respect thereto and so that no two joints between abutting elements in non-adjacent rows of longitudinals will lie in the same transverse vertical plane. In either of these arrangements it is possible to generate a substantially continuous path through a portion of a joint between a pair of such abutting elements in one of the bottom rows of longitudinals on one side of the hull and through a similar portion of a joint between a pair of abutting elements in one of the top rows of longltudinals'on the same side of the hull, which path will also progressively intersect a similar portion of a joint between a pair of abutting elements in other rows of longitudinals on the same side of the hull and which path will extend generally diagonally to the longitudinal axis of such side of the hull. In the arrangement illustrated herein wherein the joints between abutting elements in adjacent rows of longitudinals are out of alignment so as not to lie in the same transverse vertical plane, it is possible to enerate a path from a joint between abutting elements in one row of longitudinals to an adjacent similar joint in the next 5 adjacent row of longitudinals and thence to an adjacent joint between abutting elements in the next successive row of longitudinals on the other side of the latter row and so on throughout the various rows of longitudinals on the same wall of 10 elements of all the longitudinals that extend 15 along any one wall of the hull will lie in the same thwartship section of the ship that is bound by two adjacent stiffening transverse frame members, irrespective of whether one or the other arrangement of the joints between abutting ele- 20 ments of the longitudinals is employed. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 the diagonal paths which intersect the joints between abutting elements in the alternate rows of longitudinals, and which are designated by the ret- 25 erence letters a: and y will constitute approximate spirals that extend up one side of the hull, across the deck, down the other side and thence across the bottom or the ship and thus, as is apparent, such construction aflfords the maximum 30 strength and rigidity that it is conceivable to obtain in a construction wherein longitudinals composed of separate beam elements are employed.

Various other changes than those herein specifled may be made in the construction herein il- 35 lustrated without departing from the spirit of my invention, as embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a ship's hull construction, the combination comprising a hull having an exterior skin composed of metal plating, a plurality of substantially parallel rows oi! metal frame longi- 1 tudinals extending along and contacting with the inner surface oi! such skin, each row of such longitudinals having a plurality of elements successively abutting each other, and the joints between substantially every pair oi! such abutting elements in substantially every one of said rows or longitudinals being staggered with respect to such joints in any non-adjacent rows of longitudinals so that no two joints between the abuti ting elements in such non-adjacent rows of lon- 55 gitudinals will lie in the same vertical plane and in such a manner, that a substantially continuous path can be generated through a portion of a joint between a pair of such abutting elements in one of the bottom rows of longitudinals on one 60 side of the hull and through a similar portion or a joint between a pair of abutting elements in one of the top rows oi. longitudinals on the same side of the hull, which path will also progressively intersect a similar portion of a joint between a pair 65 oi! abutting elements in other rows of longitudinals on the same side of the hull and which path will extend generally diagonally to the longitudinal axis of such side of the hull.

2. In a ship's hull construction, the combination comprising a hull having an exterior skin composed of metal plating, a plurality of substantially parallel rows of metal frame longitudinals extending along and contacting with the inner surface 01 such skin, each row oi. such longi- 75 3,041,963 t it 'tudinals having a plurality of elements successively abutting each other, and the joints between substantially every pair of such abutting elements in substantially every one of said rows of longitudinals being staggered with respect to each other so that no two joints between abutting elements in non-adjacent rows of longitudinals will lie in the same transverse vertical plane and in such a manner a path can be progressively generated from a joint between abutting elements in one row of longitudinals to an adjacent similar joint in the next adjacent row of longitudinals and thence to an adjacent joint between abutting elements in the next adjacent row of longitudinals on the other side of the latter row and so on throughout the rows of longitudinals positioned on one wall of said hull, which path will constitute a zig-zag path that advances gradually longitudinally of such side of the hull.

3. In a ships hull construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hull is provided with a plurality of stiffening transverse frame members, substantially all of which are marginally intersected by the various rows of longitudinals that extend along the respective walls of the hull.

4. A ships hull construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hull is provided with a plurality of stiffening transverse frame members, including a plurality of thwartship water-tight bulkheads, and which frame members are marginally intersected by certain of the elements of respective sides of the hull; and the joints between said bulkheads and such intersecting longitudinals being sealed to render the same water-tight.

5. In a ship's hull construction as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hull is provided with a plurality of stiffening transverse frame members and. not more than two joints between abutting elements of the longitudinals in the different rows thereof on any one side of the hull will' lie in the same thwartship section of the ship bound by any two adjacent transverse frame members.

6. In a ships hull construction as claimed in claim 2, wherein a path generated in the manner specified therein and if continued across one side of the hull, thence across the deck, thence across the other side of the hull and thence across the bottom of the hull and so on throughout the length of the hull will constitute a substantially spiral path.

7. In a ships hull construction as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hull is provided with a plurality of stiffening transverse frame members, including a plurality of water-tight thwartship bulkheads and certain of the elements of said rows of longitudinals marginally intersect such transverse frame members and the joints between the intersecting elements of the longitudinals and such thwartship bulkheads are sealed to render the same water-tight.

CHARLES T. SAMUELSON. 

